


the right timing

by jooyun



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, f(x)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 22:51:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14757794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jooyun/pseuds/jooyun
Summary: five times changmin wants to kiss victoria and the one time he actually does.





	the right timing

**Author's Note:**

> a quick fic written up because i have too many changtoria feels even now criesss ;A;

1.  
changmin cannot wait to get out. at the root of it, the military is just a very long test of changmin’s patience and endurance.

a very, very long test.

he spends his days doggedly going through his official duties, joking and jostling around with donghae and siwonnie, and usually falls asleep with his phone in his hand. he hopes the glow from the screen doesn’t show through his blankets. most nights, changmin throws his covers over his head and curls into a ball, his thumb ghosting over her contact picture, carefully scrolling through past conversations, flipping through his photo stream. there are selcas (of the both of them or secret ones she’d taken when stealing his phone), candid photos he’d taken when she was off-guard, pictures of food they’d eaten together or that she’d made for him.

donghae and siwon would tease him mercilessly if they ever found out, so changmin keeps this a secret, but yeah.

he misses her.

thinks and wonders and dreams about what it would be like to hold her in his arms again, lips brushing over her forehead.

2.  
minho is sitting next to him on kyuhyun’s sofa, excitedly cheering on arsenal on tv, elbowing changmin whenever a player makes a shot at the goal.

the doorbell buzzes and kyuhyun stands to get it, smirking in changmin’s direction. “you’re welcome.”

“what?”

victoria walks in, slipping off her shoes and hanging up her jacket and changmin’s mouth goes dry.

“vic-noona! didn’t think you would make it,” minho greets cheerfully.

“i’m only back in korea for a few days, gotta do a shoot and then fly back to beijing,” she sighs, walking into the living room. “i couldn’t miss the chance, though, to see-“

changmin can’t tell if she’s happy or upset or a mix of both when her gaze meets his.

“you.” she finishes softly. there’s a small silence.

kyuhyun reads the situation perfectly and proceeds to all but shove her into the empty seat next to changmin. “welcome back, to my two friends that are constantly leaving me!”

changmin snorts and victoria looks like she’s fighting a smile.

“your hair,” she laughs, drinking in his face and presence, “it’s really different.”

“i’m handsome no matter what though,” changmin retorts, a warm blush starting on his cheeks. he can smell her citrusy shampoo and wills her not to lean closer or he just might pass out.

“your ears are turning red, that means you know you’re lying.” she tugs on his left ear playfully.

“it’s the alcohol.”

“sure.”

the corners of her eyes crinkle as she smiles and changmin remembers something that seems like a lifetime ago, pressing kisses to them before he’d go to work, victoria watching him get ready from their bed.

3.  
“i’m not ready, changmin.”

he can’t believe his ears. “two years and you’re still not ready?”

she holds her ground. “two years is how long it took for me to build up this career in china, i’ve finally broken through and i’m not – i’m not going to give it all away now.”

“i’m not asking you to, qiannie, i’ve never asked you to do that for me,” he shoots back, the frustration transparent in his voice.

“do you realize that when you talk about marriage, and kids, that’s exactly what you’re asking me to do?” she says measuredly, the crease between her brows the only indication of her anger. “this is why we took a break in the first place. so that maybe you could really think about what i’m trying to tell you!” she lets out a breath, another sigh, her shoulders sagging. “you... you’re still not listening.”

“we’re not getting any younger. we – you have to let go of this kind of life sooner or later.” changmin buries his head into his hands. “do you... even want kids anymore? to get married?”

“i do! just not-"

“with me?” changmin’s eyes pierce hers.

“not now.” there are tears in her throat, now, her words wobbling. “i just haven’t found any signs telling me that this is the right time. how could you say that to me? i love you and for you to act like i don’t and accuse me is ridiculous, and-“

she keeps talking and the helplessness drenching his thoughts isn’t going away. he wants to press his mouth against hers, let her know with actions that he’s sorry and confused because the words won’t, can’t come out.

4.  
six months later, he finds himself catching the next available flight to beijing, donning an inconspicuous mask and beanie.

changmin settles into his seat next to the tiny oval window. he can clearly see the plane’s broad, red-and-white wing cutting through the clouds. his phone buzzes with a “safe travels and good luck” message from yunho-hyung.

one of her managers had called him with the news that she’d collapsed twice during a filming, once on stage and again after being ushered backstage. a badly sprained ankle and extreme exhaustion merited checking into the nearest hospital.

“um, she probably didn’t want me to tell you, changmin-ssi, but i would rather that she be upset at me for telling you. rather than you being upset that she hid it from you,” the manager had chuckled.

“aren’t you technically supposed to be on her side?”

“this is me being on her side. i’m rooting for you two, changmin-ssi!”

when he arrives in the hospital room, it is nearly midnight. victoria is sleeping, attached to an iv drip, but her expression is peaceful. her ankle is neatly wrapped in a cast.  
changmin ends up sleeping in the room too, a chair dragged to the foot of the bed and his head resting on his arms.

the next morning, victoria is not overly surprised to see him when she wakes up. she lets changmin carry her to the bathroom and support her as she brushes her teeth and washes her face. “i knew manager-oppa was gonna snitch on me,” she mutters as he sets her back onto the bed. her manager pops in at that moment, patting changmin on the shoulder while informing victoria that her schedule was cleared for the next few days to rest.

“good.” changmin says, satisfied.

victoria sticks her tongue at the two of them.

the manager leaves to figure out the paperwork for checking out, leaving changmin and victoria alone once again. “you seem happy,” she comments dryly. she sits up and crosses her arms. the hospital gown slips slightly on her slim frame, revealing her collarbones.

changmin resists the urge to kiss them. “... i’ll be happier once we’re home and you’re resting in bed.”

she rolls her eyes but uncrosses her arms in surrender.

5.  
he wraps her up in his warmest blanket (“like a kimbap,” he says fondly as she pouts) and carries her out to the balcony to look at the stars.

“i can walk by myself,” she protests weakly.

“yeah, in two weeks maybe. for now, this is what we’re gonna do,” changmin scoffs, depositing her onto a reclined chair. he settles into the one next to her. he squints at the moon and tries to trace the outline of cassiopeia.

“changmin,” victoria calls out.

“mhmm?”

“as much as i don’t want to admit it, maybe this is the sign i was looking for.” she jiggles the foot with the hard cast on it. “to maybe take a longer break.”

“i can’t want this for the both of us, qiannie.” changmin has learned to be more patient but it doesn’t stop the thrumming in his chest. “don’t pick this just for me.”

“no, i’m not. for the past few weeks, i’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and,” she takes a deep breath, “i love you, changmin. and i want to spend this life with you, and i know we’re never going to have perfect timing but now and here, to me... this is the right timing.” she’s gazing at him, the wind lifting her hair away from her face, and changmin’s never been more struck by her. how incredibly selfless she is, how ridiculously wonderful she is, how beautiful she is.

“... i love you.”

that’s all he needs to say.

he moves to kiss her but she’s already snuggled into his chest, so he settles and just holds her closer.

5+1.  
changmin, feeling brave, sneaks up on her from behind as she peels a tangerine in the kitchen.

she doesn’t even flinch when he hugs her, only pops a slice of tangerine into his mouth. “try again,” she jokes affectionately, twisting to face him. the citrusy smell prickles his nose. “it’s gonna take a lot more to scare us, changmin-ah.”

“us, huh?” he lifts her onto the countertop and slides her t-shirt (actually one of his own, he notes with pleasure) just enough to show the small but prominent bump over her stomach. changmin presses a kiss onto it, moves to her shoulder, jaw, and then she slides her hands to the back of his neck and kisses him for real.


End file.
